About the Program

Undergraduate nursing students in the Sim Lab learning about medical equipment.

How It Works

All nursing bachelor students are admitted to the program as freshmen. When you apply to 杏吧原创, you must indicate "nursing" as your first academic interest on the common application. (You're also required to complete "Section V" of the Common Application 杏吧原创 Student Supplement.) If offered admission, you'll undergo a second review before being accepted as a nursing major. (Those not admitted in nursing as freshmen will not later be considered for nursing at 杏吧原创.)

As freshman nursing majors, you and your fellow students will begin the process of completing the 杏吧原创 core requirements and the nursing pre-requisite courses. Due to the availability of quality clinical placements, not all students can begin practicum (clinical) experiences in the fall of their junior year — half begin their practicum experiences in the fall, and half will wait until the spring semester to do so. However, as a freshman nursing student, you can request to begin your upper-division courses in either the fall or spring semester of your junior year. (If more students request the fall semester than the spring, the final determination will be based on earned cumulative GPA from pre-requisite courses.)

If you start the upper-division nursing courses in the spring of your junior year, you will have the following options:

  • Spreading your course work over nine semesters
  • Taking a leave of absence for a semester (if you don't complete your prerequisites within the first four semesters)
  • Applying to study abroad in the fall semester of your junior year

The nine-semester option also gives you an opportunity to complete a minor, study a foreign language, or repeat a course if necessary.

Once you begin your upper-division nursing courses, you'll complete a series of practicum courses that will introduce you to professional nursing practice in a variety of healthcare settings. The program also prepares you to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) after graduation, which is a requirement for licensure as a registered nurse.

 

Essential Functional Abilities for Student Nurses

The Department of Nursing is required by the Washington State Board of Nursing to hold students accountable for professional behavior and nursing standards of conduct. Nursing students cannot attend clinical experiences while affected by alcohol or drugs, or by a mental, physical, or emotional condition that may create undue risk to themself or other persons. Students who have been injured or ill may be required to provide a medical release prior to participating in clinical experiences. The essential functional abilities required in the nursing student role are listed below.

Category Essential Functions
Visual

  1. Observe and discern subtle changes in physical conditions and the environment.

  2. Visualize different color spectrums and color changes.
  3. Read find print.
  4. Read data displayed on monitors/displays.
  5. Detect non-verbal communication.
Auditory
  1. Distinguish muffled sounds heard through a stethoscope.
  2. Hear and discriminate high and low frequency sounds produced by the body and the environment.
  3. Effectively hear to communicate with others.
Tactile

     Discern tremors, vibrations, pulses, textures, temperature, shape,              sizes, location, and other physical characteristics.
Olfactory

     Detect body odors and odors in the environment.
Communication
  1. Verbally and in writing engage in two-way communication in English.
  2. Use qualified interpreters when appropriate to communicate with non-English speaking clients.
  3. Interact effectively with others from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
  4. Communicate in a timely manner.
Interpersonal Relationships
  1. Work effectively in groups.
  2. Work effectively independently.
  3. Interpret nonverbal communication.
  4. Express one’s ideas and feelings in a clear manner.
  5. Demonstrate behaviors that are age appropriate in relationship to the client.
  6. Convey caring, respect, tact, compassion and empathy to client and others.
  7. Function effectively in situations of uncertainty and stress.
Cognitive Thinking
  1. Operate a computer to obtain, enter and transmit data.
  2. Effectively read, write, and comprehend the English language.
  3. Consistently and dependably engage in the process of critical thinking to formulate and implement safe and ethical nursing decisions in a variety of healthcare settings.
  4. Demonstrate satisfactory performance on written examinations, including mathematical calculations.
Motor Function
  1. Handle small delicate equipment/objects without extraneous movement, contamination, or destruction.
  2. Move, position, transfer and assist with lifting and ambulation without injury to clients, self or others.
  3. Maintain balance.
  4. Respond rapidly to emergency situations.